Suction-operated circuit closer for motor vehicles



March 8,1927.

P. SCHINDLER SUCTION OPERATED cmcurr CLOSER FOR mowon VEHICLES FiledApril 9, 1926 IINVENTOR. @0/ J22; x707?!" ATTORNEYS.

I possible.

Patented Mar. 8, 1927. v

UNITED STATES PAUL SCHINDLER, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY.

SUCTION-OPERATED CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed April 9, 1926. Serial No. 100,807.

This invention is a device adapted to be em loyed on motor vehicles andto be inclu ed in one or more electric circuits thereof for the purposeof controlling the operation of such circuits. For example, the deviceof this invention, may to advantage be included in the ignition and horncircuits so that, when the motor is at rest, both the ignition and horncircuits will be rendered dead,'so that there may be no leakage ofcurrent from the ignition circuit nor can the horn be sounded. 1

It is well recognized that when a car is left standin unaccompanied,children find particular delight in sounding the horn, and it is alsoknown by those skilled in' the art that even though a motor may be atrest, there may be a passage of electrical current through the ignitioncircuit if the ignition switch is turned onand the distributor is makingcontact, It is primarily to obviate the foregoing disadvantages ofpresent practice that the invention is employed in practice. I

Devices have been heretofore employed for this general purpose, but forone reason or another have not met with favor. For example, many of theprior devices have been so constituted that as soon as the motor stops,the circuits which include the controlling device are inlmediatelde-energized. This is a disadvantage. S i1pp0se, for example, that themotor stalls in traflic or on a hill. It is desirable thatthe ignitioncircuit be turned on, so that the motor will start as soon as thestarting motor is operated. Unless the igmtion circult is turned on,this will not be Thus, devices which actually render the ignitioncircuit dead, as soon as the motor stops are open to this disadvantagewhich is undesirable for obvious reasons. The present inventionovercomes this disadvantage by the provision of means whereby thestopping of the motor will not immediately effect the breaking of thecontrol circuits, but, in contradistinction, the circuits will bemaintained energized for a predetermined period of sufficient durationto allow restarting of the car under ordinary circumstances if sodesired. This is an important featureof the present invention and it hasnever before been employed in adevice of thecharacter underconsideration.

In its preferred practical form, the device of the present inventionembodies a suitable casing across which extends the diaphragm dividingthe casing into two chamrs, one of which may be termed the suctionchamber and the other the vent chamber. Carried b the wall of the casingand extending into the suction chamber are a plurality of spacedcontacts which are adapted to'be included in the circuits to becontrolled. Carried by the diaphragm is a bridge piece adapted, whensuction is communicated to the suction chamber, to be drawn intoengagement with the contacts to complete said circuits at this point.

Suction is communicated to the chamber by means of a conduit leading tothe inlet manifold of the motor and it thus becomes apparent that solong as the motor is operating, the diaphragm will be drawn in thedirection of the suction chamber to maintain engagement of the bridgepiece with the contacts. Associated with the suction inlet of thesuction chamber is a valve ada ted as soon as suction from the motor isiscontinued to close and thereby seal the suction chamber, so that eventhough the motor stops, the partial vacuum within this chamber willmaintain the bridge piece in a position to bridge the contacts, so thatthe circuits are not broken immediately upon cessation of operation ofthe motor.

Associated. with the apparatus, however. is an air inlet preferably inthe form of some porous material, through which air is adapted to siftor filter slowly and by the employment of this means, air is allowed toslowly enter the suction chamber after the motor has stopped for thepurpose of releasing the bridge piece from engagement with the contactsafter a predetermined interval of time, A

lVith this arrangement. suflicient time will be permitted to re-startthe motor if desired and at the conclusion of the said predeterminedinterval, all circuits including the device will be rendered dead.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparentfrom the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of theinvention, but the construction therein shownis to be understoodas-illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 shows the present invention associated with a motor vehicle.

a radial extending flanges 3 and 4. Both of a metal plate or bridgepiece 15,-which is 'the sections 1 and 2 are dished so that when theflanges are secured to one another, a hollow closed casing will result.5 designates v a diaphragm which, in practice, is preferably of rubberand is made in the form of a disk substantially equal in diameter to theoverall diameter of the casing, whereby, when the sections of the casingare in assembled relation with the disk between them, the diskwill notonly constitute a gasket and thus afford a tight joint between the partsbut will also serve as a diaphragm to divide the interior of the casinginto two chambers 6 and 7.

The casing sections may be secured together in any suitable manner,such, for example, as by the rivets 8. Mounted on the section 1 are twocontacts 9 and 10, spaced apart from one another and insulated from Ythe casing by means of an insulating plate 11 and insulating bushings12'. Exteriorly of the casing, these contacts carry binding posts 13 and14 by means of which they may be included in an electric circuit; -()nthe contact side of the diaphragm 5 is secured preferably backed up by aspider shaped leaf pring 16 positioned at the opposite side of ediaphragm and a bolt 17 is passed throughthese parts and through thediaphragm to firmly bind the parts together.

Associated with the section 1 is a valve casing 18, the interior ofwhich is formed as shown in Figure 5. From here, it will be noted thatthe valve casing is screwed'into a tapped hole in the section 1 and isin the form of a shell at the inner end of which is provided a valve:seat 1 9 with-which cooperates a ball valve 20. Into the outer end ofthe shell is screwed the threaded plug 21' of a nipple 22 and ontheinterior of the plug is formed a skirt 23 across which a partition 24 isplaced. A spring 25 is introduced between the partition 24jand the ballvalve and serves to normally seat the latter. Beyond the partition, theskirt is perforated as at 26, so that air can be drawn through the valvecasing around the exterior of the skirt and through the perforations 26.into the passage 27 through the nipples. With the nipple is associated atube or conduit 28 which connects with the intake manifold of the enginein any suitable manner. As shown, however, the tube 28 is secured to a Tunion 29 positioned in the vacuum line 30 of the vacuum feed system.From Figure 1, wherein a general as sembly is illustrated, it will benoted that the vacuum line 30 extends from the intake manifold 31 of themotor as usual.

It will appear from the ,foregoing detailed description of the parts, asthus far described, that as long as the motor is operating, suction willbe communicated to the suction chamber 6, through the valve casing andsuch suction will serve to unseat the valve 20 against. the pressure ,ofspring 25. It will be noted that the particular formation of the valveis such as to render the slightest removal of the valve from its seatsufiicient to permit the exhaust ofair from the chamber 6, so that whenthe motor stops and a partial vacuum in the pipe .30 is discontinued,the valve 20 will immediately close and its extent of travel is sominute that during the closing operation practically no airis permittedto enter the chamber 6. This is an important feature from a practicalstandpoint, since if the valve were moved a considerable distance fromits seat, suflicient air might creep in during the closing operation ofthe valve to permit the withdrawal of the bridge piece from the contacts9 and 10. As shown, however, the structure operates \with highefficiency.

When suction is communicated to the chamber 6, thediaphragm is drawntoward the contacts Qand' 10 and they are bridged by the bridge piece 15against the tension;

of the'diaphragm and thespring 16. When the motor stops, it leaves theparts in this condition'with the chamber 6 sealed by the valve 20. Itwill be noted, however, that the bolt 17 which holds the bridge piece tothe diaphragm is provided through its center with a passage 32 which isstepped intermediate'itsends and one end is interiorly threaded toreceive a tubular plug 33. The

plug bears against a small filtering device 34 positioned in the passageand so constituted as to permit air to slowly filter therethrough. Asmall piece of wood positioned with the grain running parallel to thepassage is found, in' practice to give highly satisfactory results.structure of the wood will allow air to slowly 'pass' therethrough forthe purpose of relieving the suction in the chamber 6 after apredetermined interval. The chamber 7 is vented as shown at 35 forobvious reasons.

It therefore follows that after the motor stops, the bridge piece willbe held against the contacts 9 and 10 until suficient air is seepedthrough the filter 34: to break the vacuum and'thereupon the diaphragmwill withdraw into its normal neutral position,

The cellular hers, one of which plurality of spaced the cated to thesuction chamber, valvular means carrying withit the bridge piece andbreaking the circuits in which the device is included.

In practice, the filtering medium is so constituted as to delay thebreaking of the circuits for a sutiicient interval to permit there-starting of the motor with the ignition circuit on it so desired.This is an important consideration and obviates a marked drawback in allprior constructions of this general character.

The drawing shows the invention in its preferred practical form, butinasmuch as slight details of construction may be changed withoutdeparting from the invention, the invention is to be understood as fullycommensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A circuit closer embodying a casing, an elastic diaphragm extendingacross the casing and dividing said casing into two chambers, one ofwhich is a suction chamher, a plurality of spaced contacts mounted inthe suction chamber and carried by the casing and insulated from thecasing and from each other, a metallic bridge piece mounted on andcarried by the diaphragm, a suction passage leading from the suctionchamber, means cooperating with the suction passage to communicatesuction to the suction chamber, whereb the diaphragm is warped to bringthe bridge piece into engagement with the contacts so long as suction iscommunicated to the suction chamber, valvular means associated with thesuction passage for sealing the passage as soon as the associated motorstops to thereafter maintain the bridge piece in engagement with thecontacts, and means for permitting air to slowly enter the suctionchamber to break the vacuum therein after a predetermined interval.

2. A circuit closer embodfing a casing, an elastic diaphragm extendingacross the casing and dividing said casing into two chamis a suctionchamber, a contacts mounted in the suction chamber and carried by thecasing and insulated from the casing and from each other, a metallicbridge piece mounted on and carried by the diaphragm, a suction passageleading from the suction chamber, means cooperating with the suctionpassage to communicate suction to the suction chamber, whereby thediaphragm is warped to bring the bridge pieceinto engagement withcontacts so long as suction is communiassociated with the suctionpassage for seal ing the passage as soon as the associated motor stopsto thereafter maintain the bridge piece in engagement with the contacts,and filtering means adapted to permit the slow seepage of air into thesuction chamber to break the vacuum therein after a predeterminedinterval.

3. A circuit closer embodying a chamber one side of which is closed byan elastic diaphragm, contacts spaced apart and mounted on the oppositeside of the chamber and insulated from one another, a metal bridge piececarried by the diaphragm, a valve controlled suction inlet to thechamber and through which adapted .to be exhausted to draw the diaphragminto a position wherein the bridge piece will bridge the contacts, saidvalve controlled suction inlet being adapted to automatically seal thechamber when the suction ceases, and means to permit slow seepage of airinto the suction chamber to break the vacuum therein after apredetermined interval. a

4. A circuit closer embodying a chamber, one side of which is closed byan elastic diaphragm, contacts spaced apart from one air in the chamberis' another and carried on the opposite side of i the chamber, a bridgepiece carried by the diaphragm, a suction inlet leading from thechamber, a valve casing suction inlet and provided therein with a valveseat, a spring pressed valve normally seated to preclude retrogradepassage of air through the valve casing, whereby the chamber may beexhausted to draw the bridge piece into a position to bridge thecontacts, the valve thereupon seating to preclude the admission of airinto the chamber, and means for slowly venting the chamber to break thevacuum therein after a predetermined interval.

5. A circuit closer embodying a chamber, one side of which is closed byan elastic diaphragm, contacts spaced apart from one another and carriedon the opposite side of the chamber, a bridge piece carried by the bermay be exhausted to draw the bridgepiece into a position to bridge thecontacts, the valve thereupon seating to preclude the admission of airinto the chamber, a vent passage leading from the chamber, and afiltering medium positioned in said passage and through which air isadapted to slowly pass, to break the vacuum in the chamber after apredetermined interval.

6. A circuit closer embodying a casing, an elastic diaphragm extendingacross the casingand dividing it into two chambers, one of which is asuction chamber, a plurality of spaced contacts mounteddn the suctionchamber and insulated from one another, a metallic bridge piece mountedon forming part of the r and carried by the diaphragm, a suction passageleading from the suction chamber and including a check valve, meanscooperating with the suction passage to communicate suction to thesuction chamber whereby the diaphragm is warped to bring the .bridgepiece into engagement with the contacts, said check valve serving topreclude the entrance of air into the chamber and to seal the chamber atthis point when suction ceases, a vent passage leading from the interiorof the suction chamber to the exterior thereof, and a orous mediumcontained in the passage and through whichair is adapted to slowly passfor the purpose of breaking the vacuum-1n the suction chamber after apredetermined interval.

2?. A circuit closer embodying a casing comprising two cupped sectionssecured together, a rubber diaphragm positioned betweenthe adjacentedges of the sections to form a leak proof gasket therefor, saiddiaphragm extending across the interior of said casing to partition ordivide the interior thereof into two chambers, one of which is vented tothe atmosphere and the other of which constitutes a suction chamber, thediaphragm being normally maintained in a flat, plane condition by itsown inherent resiliency, a metal bridge piece positioned in the suctionchamber and mounted on and carried by the diaphragm, a plurality ofspaced relatively insulated contacts carried by the casing within thesuction chamber in juxtaposition with the bridge piece and normally freefrom engagement therewith, and a suction conduit leading from thesuction chamber to permit the communication of suction to said chamberfor the purpose of drawing the diaphragm into position to engage thebridge piece with the contacts to close electric circuits adapted to beassociated with said contacts.

In testimony whereof I have signed the foregoing specification.

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